American Humanist Association
The American Humanist Association (AHA) is an American humanist group serving secular humanism, but tending to favor Humanism as defined by the world body for Humanism, the IHEU. Founded in 1941, the AHA has served its members by initiating social reforms and other programs. Humanists and the American Humanist Association were among the first to advocate for and/or introduce many significant developments in the fields of human rights, the control of population growth, sexual equality, civil liberties, education, science, alternative technologies, and humanistic psychology. The AHA published Humanism and Its Aspirations. The official symbol of the AHA is the Happy Human. Status The AHA has charitable tax exemption in the US but, unlike the Council for Secular Humanism (which only has educational exemption) AHA has religious exemption. This is in line with the IHEU resolution on state support for Humanism http://www.iheu.org/node/771#statehumanism. This does not mean that members of AHA believe in a god, but that, for them, Humanism qualifies as a religion, albeit a non-theistic and secular religion. http://www.americanhumanist.org/3/HumandItsAspirations.php http://www.americanhumanist.org/press/ElectionAftermath.html http://www.americanhumanist.org/press/TenCommandmentsBrief.html Mission The mission of the American Humanist Association is to promote the spread of humanism, raise public awareness and acceptance of humanism, and encourage the continued refinement of the humanist philosophy. As a member organisation of the IHEU, the AHS fully endorses the Amsterdam Declaration 2002. AHA's Definition of Humanism Kurt Vonnegut, Honorary President of the AHA, said: "being a Humanist means trying to behave decently without expectation of rewards or punishment after you are dead." The AHA's more complete definition from its website is as follows: "Humanism is a progressive lifestance that, without supernaturalism, affirms our ability and responsibility to lead ethical lives of personal fulfillment that aspire to the greater good of humanity." IHEU's Minimum statement on Humanism All member organisations of the IHEU are required by IHEU bylaw 5.1 to accept http://www.iheu.org/bylaws the IHEU Minimum statement on Humanism: "Humanism is a democratic and ethical life stance, which affirms that human beings have the right and responsibility to give meaning and shape to their own lives. It stands for the building of a more humane society through an ethic based on human and other natural values in the spirit of reason and free inquiry through human capabilities. It is not theistic, and it does not accept supernatural views of reality.'' AHA's Role in Humanism Founded in 1941 the AHA strives to be vocal on issues of major concern to Humanists; reaching out to media and opinion leaders as well as keeping its members informed about the issues of the day. The AHA also has helped establish and foster several organizations that promote Humanist ideals, such as the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League, Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, Rational Recovery, and others. The American Humanist Association Currently has groups more in than 30 states and publishes The Humanist and Essays in the Philosophy of Humanism. The AHA is also the publisher of The Humanist Manifesto I II and III AHA's Humanists of the Year * Murray Gell-Mann - 2005 * Daniel C. Dennett - 2004 * Sherwin T. Wine - 2003 * Steven Weinberg - 2002 * Stephen Jay Gould - 2001 * Bill Schulz - 2000 * Edward O. Wilson - 1999 * Barbara Ehrenreich - 1998 * Alice Walker - 1997 * Richard Dawkins - 1996 * Ashley Montagu - 1995 * Lloyd Morain - 1994 * Mary Morain - 1994 * Richard D. Lamm - 1993 * Kurt Vonnegut - 1992 * Lester R. Brown - 1991 * Werner Fornos - 1991 * Ted Turner - 1990 * Gerald A. Larue - 1989 * Leo Pfeffer - 1988 * Margaret Atwood - 1987 * Faye Wattleton - 1986 * John Kenneth Galbraith - 1985 * Isaac Asimov - 1984 * Lester A. Kirkendall - 1983 * Helen Caldicott - 1982 * Carl Sagan - 1981 * Andrei Sakharov - 1980 * Edwin H. Wilson - 1979 * Margaret E. Kuhn - 1978 * Corliss Lamont - 1977 * Jonas E. Salk - 1976 * Betty Friedan - 1975 * Henry Morgentaler - 1975 * Mary Calderone - 1974 * Joseph Fletcher - 1974 * Thomas Szasz - 1973 * B.F. Skinner - 1972 * Albert Ellis - 1971 * A. Philip Randolph - 1970 * R. Buckminster Fuller - 1969 * Benjamin Spock - 1968 * Abraham H. Maslow - 1967 * Erich Fromm - 1966 * Hudson Hoagland - 1965 * Carl Rogers - 1964 * Hermann J. Muller - 1963 * Julian Huxley - 1962 * Linus Pauling - 1961 * Leo Szilard - 1960 * Brock Chisholm - 1959 * Oscar Riddle - 1958 * Margaret Sanger - 1957 * C. Judson Herrick - 1956 * James P. Warbasse - 1955 * Arthur F. Bendley - 1954 * Anton J. Carlson - 1953 See also *Corliss Lamont *Isaac Asimov *John Dewey *Julian Huxley *Bertrand Russell External links * The American Humanist Association * GuideStar - American Humanist Association Information in GuideStar, national database of nonprofit organizations Local Affiliates of the American Humanist Association * Freethought Association of West Michigan * Great Lakes Humanist Society * Humanist Fellowship of North Texas United States